"They're Playing Our Song" - tell me about the show

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"They're Playing Our Song" - tell me about the show

Posted: 8/23/05 at 6:12pm

Hey guys. I just got the OCR of They're Playing Our Song by Marvin Hamlisch starring Lucie Arnaz and Robert Klein. The music is fantastic, but I'm assuming the show didn't do too well. Anyone know anything more about the show? Opinions?

Eeeeeeyyyyyyyyaaaaaaaannnnnddddd aaaaaaaiiiiiiiiyyyyyyaaaaaammmmmmmm teeeeeeeelllllliiiiiinnngg yyyyooooooouuuuuuuwwwaaaahh...

re: 'They're Playing Our Song' - tell me about the show

Posted: 8/23/05 at 6:55pm

Actually, it ran for over two and a half years and more than a thousand performances, so yes, it did very well.

I saw it, and though I wasn't too crazy about the show, I absolutely fell in love with Lucie Arnaz.

By now it would probably be hopelessly dated.

re: 'They're Playing Our Song' - tell me about the show

Posted: 8/23/05 at 7:05pm

I think there was another thread on this show earlier last week (no, I am not chastising you for starting this one) and I believe someone posted that the idea for the show came about when Neil Simon and Marvin Hamlisch were working on a musical and it fell through. During that time Marvin would talk about his relationship with fellow songwriter Carole Bayer Sager which in turn was the inspiration and basis for what eventually became "They're Playing Our Song".

re: 'They're Playing Our Song' - tell me about the show

Posted: 8/23/05 at 8:53pm

Yes it was quite successful. Didn't win any Tonys, but it more than doubled the number of performances of that year's Tony winner for Best Musical (Some show about a mad barber in London...)

Praying Decca Broadway will put "Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope" on CD!

re: 'They're Playing Our Song' - tell me about the show

Posted: 8/23/05 at 8:56pm

OMG, LOVE the show its just.. amazing. I saw a summerstock production of it last month and I just fell in love with it. Its a VERY dated show, but if done well, it can just be amazing. I think the best song from the show is "Fallen" Its just really good.

re: 'They're Playing Our Song' - tell me about the show

Posted: 8/23/05 at 9:04pm

Yeah, right after I posted this I looked it up on IBDB and it did run for a long time. It's funny that it hasn't been done more often with such a small cast and a catchy score. But yeah, I can only imagine that it's ibcredibly dated. Wonder what would happen if someone would update the orchestrations...

Eeeeeeyyyyyyyyaaaaaaaannnnnddddd aaaaaaaiiiiiiiiyyyyyyaaaaaammmmmmmm teeeeeeeelllllliiiiiinnngg yyyyooooooouuuuuuuwwwaaaahh...

re: 'They're Playing Our Song' - tell me about the show

Posted: 8/23/05 at 10:37pm

There was a successful national tour starring Victor Garber and Ellen Greene. (That's why Garber didn't do the tour of that show about the barber!)

In the early 80's, virtually every small theatre in the country did it. Hey - it had the names "Neil Simon" and "Marvin Hamlisch" attached to it,and a cast of 8!

re: 'They're Playing Our Song' - tell me about the show

Posted: 8/23/05 at 11:01pm

Lorna Luft also toured with the show in 1981. Which reminds me...wouldn't Liza make a fun Sonia? I know she's too old but it's Broadway so who really cares?

re: 'They're Playing Our Song' - tell me about the show

Posted: 8/23/05 at 11:06pm

https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.cfm?boardname=bway&thread=862562#1304860

"Smart! And into all those exotic mystiques -- The Kama Sutra and Chinese techniques. I hear she knows more than seventy-five. Call me tomorrow if you're still alive!"

#10

re: 'They're Playing Our Song' - tell me about the show

Posted: 8/23/05 at 11:15pm

OK - I know about Sonja and Vernon, but what's all this about the mad barber???

Hi, Shirley Temple Pudding.

#11

re: 'They're Playing Our Song' - tell me about the show

Posted: 8/23/05 at 11:15pm

Kidding, kidding.

Hi, Shirley Temple Pudding.

#12

re: 'They're Playing Our Song' - tell me about the show

Posted: 8/24/05 at 1:00am

I was in this show a couple years ago, as one of Vernon's "inner voices." The score is definitely fun - but not by any means excellent. The show would be a total waste if it weren't for the great book - it's nothing really memorable or riveting, but just good comedy. I love it.

"If you are going to do something, do it well. And leave something witchy." -Charlie Manson

#13

re: 'They're Playing Our Song' - tell me about the show

Posted: 8/24/05 at 1:17am

The show is in fact based on the ill fated relationship between the show's composer, Marvin Hamlisch, and lyricist, Carole Bayer Sager

I am not Tony winner Dan Fogler.

#14

re: 'They're Playing Our Song' - tell me about the show

Posted: 8/24/05 at 1:22am

Didn't someone already say that...

"If you are going to do something, do it well. And leave something witchy." -Charlie Manson

#15

re: 'They're Playing Our Song' - tell me about the show

Posted: 8/24/05 at 6:54am

Carole Bayer Sager and Bert Bachrach should have written a sequel called "Now They're Playing OUR Song!"

#16

re: 'They're Playing Our Song' - tell me about the show

Posted: 8/24/05 at 11:16am

try research..try dogpile.com try google.

#17

re: 'They're Playing Our Song' - tell me about the show

Posted: 8/24/05 at 11:40am

The show has some cute elements, but the music really is VERY dated. There's that number where the Vernon voices do this Bee Gees thing, that's kind of scary. I guess it's possible to re-orchestrate, but the piece feels very 70's.

I did the show in 1987 and played Vernon. I kind of felt the book had issues because you really didn't understand why Sonia and Vernon would even be attracted to each other or want to try to "Work It Out." They were just too different and fought too much. I'm sure it would make it difficult for audiences to pull for them.

". . . POP . . ."

#18

re: 'They're Playing Our Song' - tell me about the show

Posted: 8/24/05 at 12:36pm

It used to be done all the time in dinner theatres, college groups, etc. It's an easy show to do and audiences love it. I wonder now if you couldn't do it as a "Period piece"?

One of the running gags I loved was that the female character is always wearing clothes she got from various shows she was associated with. I think there's a joke that goes something like:

He: I like that dress! Where's it from?
She: The Cherry Orchard.
He: Is that the boutique on Elm street?
She: No it's a show by Chekhov.

They also refer to her wearing a Naval Uniform (Mr. Roberts) and you can really get some laughs from her wacky outfits-- I saw it once where she wore this Showboat-looking hoopskirt at one point.

There is also a lovely ballad that he sings accompanied by a toy piano where he sings about how he feels about her-- but he can't say because he's only a musician, she's the lyricist. He needs her to "Fill in the Words". Very sweet.

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